Pitreavie Castle facts for kids
Pitreavie Castle is an old country house found between Rosyth and Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland. It was built a long time ago, in the early 1600s. The house was greatly changed in 1885. It stayed a private home until 1938. Then, the Air Ministry bought it, and it became RAF Pitreavie Castle. The RAF base closed in 1996. After that, the building was turned into homes for people.
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History of Pitreavie Castle
The land where Pitreavie Castle stands was once owned by Lady Christina Bruce. She was the sister of Robert the Bruce, a famous Scottish king, in the 1300s. By the early 1600s, the Kello family owned the estate.
In 1608, a man named Henry Wardlaw bought the estate. He paid 10,000 Scottish merks for it. Henry Wardlaw was a special helper, called a Chamberlain, to Queen Anne. She was the wife of King James VI of Scotland. When King James became King of England in 1603, he moved to London. He left Dunfermline Palace in Wardlaw's care.
Henry Wardlaw became a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1631. This was a special title given by the king. He passed away in 1637, and his son, also named Henry, took over. Wardlaw's granddaughter, Elizabeth Wardlaw, is thought to have written famous poems like Hardyknute and Sir Patrick Spens.
Wardlaw started building the house in 1615. It was first shaped like a "U" from above. It had a main part about 20 meters (66 feet) long. Two short sections stuck out to the north. There were also spiral staircases inside. The roof had special stepped edges called crow steps and windows that stuck out, called dormer windows. The only way in was on the west side. Pitreavie is a good example of a house built in the early 1600s with a balanced design. It was similar to homes designed by Sir James Murray, the King's Master of Works. The gardens around the house were planted with many ash, birch, and elm trees in the late 1600s.
During the time when Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland, a battle happened near the castle. It was called the Battle of Pitreavie and took place on July 20, 1651. English soldiers fought against Scottish soldiers, including about 800 Highlanders from the Clan Maclean. The English won this battle easily. After the fight, some Macleans tried to hide in Pitreavie Castle. But the Wardlaw family would not let them in. The Macleans were very upset and said bad things about the Wardlaw family.
Changes to the Castle Over Time
The house was sold to Archibald Primrose, 1st Earl of Rosebery, in 1703. Then, in 1711, Sir Robert Blackwood bought it. He was an important leader in Edinburgh. The castle stayed with the Blackwood family for 170 years. But for almost 100 of those years, no one lived there.
In 1884, Henry Beveridge, a rich mill owner, bought the castle. He wanted to make it bigger and more modern. In 1885, he hired an architect named Charles Kinnear. Kinnear added a new section on the east side. He also put in bigger windows on the ground floor. A new main entrance was added on the north side. These new parts looked similar to the old Scottish style. The gardens were also improved. A water garden and a small train track were built. Two small buildings for people working at the entrance were also built. One of these still stands today.
Pitreavie Castle as an RAF Base
Henry Beveridge died in 1922. In 1938, the Air Ministry bought the castle for £12,306. They added new buildings, including kitchens, a bar, a dining room, and a strong underground bunker. The castle was used to help plan operations for the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force Coastal Command. Other buildings added when it was RAF Pitreavie Castle have since been taken down.
After the Second World War, Pitreavie Castle became a main office for NATO in the North Atlantic area. It was home to the leaders of air forces and naval forces in the North Atlantic. It was also home to the Air Officer for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The base closed in 1996. Its job of helping with sea rescues moved to RAF Kinloss. The castle has now been changed into several apartments. Most of the land around it has been built on with private homes and a business park. Today, the castle is a very important historic building, known as a category A listed building.
Images for kids
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Pitreavie Castle in 2019
